Wildcat Review: I walked into Wildcat hoping for one of those gritty, snappy British heist flicks that hit you with attitude, chaos, and a little bit of “oh damn, that was cool.” Instead, I got a movie that can’t decide if it wants to crack jokes, break bones, or make me emotional, so it ends up doing none of that well.
And look, I actually like Kate Beckinsale. She’s carried entire action franchises on her back. She can do sharp, stylish violence better than half the actors working today. But watching Wildcat, I couldn’t shake the feeling that everyone involved was trying to recreate a Guy Ritchie vibe using leftover scraps.
My Rating: 2.5/5
| Title | Wildcat |
|---|---|
| Release Date | November 25, 2024 |
| Director | James Nunn |
| Writer | Dominic Burns (credited as Dee Dee) |
| Genre | Action / Heist / Crime Thriller |
| Main Cast | Kate Beckinsale (Ada), Lewis Tan (Roman), Alice Krige (Christina Vine), Charles Dance (Frasier Mahoney), Rasmus Hardiker (Edward), Bailey Patrick (Curtis) |
| Runtime | 1 hour and 40 minutes |
The Setup That Should Have Worked
A black-ops soldier trying to save her kidnapped daughter? A city in riot mode? A desperate heist to trigger a civil war between crime lords?
On paper, that’s fire. On screen… It’s like playing five different video games at once, and none of them load properly.
The movie jumps between timelines (ten years ago, ten hours ago, ten minutes after the heist, you name it). These flashy time jumps don’t add tension; they just add confusion. It’s like the film is trying to feel smarter than it actually is.
Kate Beckinsale Deserves Better
When Beckinsale gets room to act, she reminds you why she became a star. There are a few moments where her vulnerability genuinely lands, especially when the story leans into her desperation to save her daughter. But then the movie throws her into these action scenes where her face is basically hidden because the stunt double is clearly doing all the work.
Meanwhile, Lewis Tan is right there doing full-contact martial arts like he wandered in from a different movie entirely. He’s good, but the action scenes look copy-pasted and weirdly repetitive, which drags down even his moments.
The Tone Is a Mess
Some scenes try to be funny. Some try to be brutal. Some try to be emotional. Some try to be cartoonish.
And the movie keeps switching between those moods without warning. It’s like changing TV channels every three minutes. The result? Nothing hits the way it should.
The Action: Sometimes Fun, Sometimes… Why Is This Happening?
To be fair, James Nunn can stage action. Once the heist is underway, the film has this messy, chaotic energy that kept me engaged more than I expected. The “battle your way out of a BDSM dungeon while tied up” scene is ridiculous but genuinely entertaining.
But then the CGI blood kicks in and reminds you this whole thing was shot on a tight budget.
And don’t even get me started on the side characters. Half of them feel like punchline machines. The other half feels like they were written by someone who has only seen British crime movies through memes.
Where It Really Loses Me
The Wildcat keeps teasing that something bigger is going on, gangs taking over London, factions clashing, special forces past trauma — but none of it actually matters by the end. It’s wasted world-building.
It’s one of those films where you keep thinking:
“If they had committed to one tone, one style, and one central emotional arc, this could’ve been great.”
But they don’t.
So what you’re left with is a movie that’s entertaining enough to play in the background… but not something you’ll remember next week.
Also Read: Sisu 2 Review – The Crazy Action Film We Needed This Year
Good & Bad in Wildcat
| What Works | What Doesn’t |
|---|---|
| Beckinsale brings real emotion in a few strong scenes | Confusing, unnecessary timeline jumps |
| Lewis Tan’s stunt work is genuinely impressive | Tonal whiplash — comedy, drama, action all clash |
| Some set pieces are fun and creative | Way too many clichés and stock characters |
| The “riot city” setting had potential | CGI blood and repeated fight patterns kill the momentum |
| A few chaotic sequences are entertaining | Tries too hard to imitate Guy Ritchie and falls short |
Final Thoughts on Wildcat
Wildcat isn’t awful. It’s just aggressively… fine. It’s watchable. It has a few cool moments. But almost every interesting idea is undercooked.
If you’re a fan of Beckinsale, you’ll get glimpses of what she could’ve done with a better script and better character direction. And if you like chaotic, low-budget British action, you’ll probably enjoy parts of it.
But if you’re expecting a smart, stylish heist thriller? Not this one.